Morphometric Assessment of Two Watersheds of High Atlas of Morocco Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques: What Is the Impact on Surface Water Availability?
The abundance or scarcity of surface water in a watershed is related to environmental factors including its morphology, substrate type, rainfall, slope, and exposure to moist air masses. The combination of these characteristics explains the hydrological behavior of the river network, knowledge of which is important for water resources management. Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing are efficient tools to assess the morphometric characteristic in a watershed. Using these tools, the physical characterization of the two water basins located on either side of the High Atlas of Morocco was investigated in this study. The results show that the Upper Draa basin is characterized by an elongated shape, with a drainage density of 0.14 km/km2. Altitudes and slopes vary little and slopes are oriented in most cases towards the southeast (27.34%). Substrate is mostly permeable, which promotes infiltration and aridity of the soil. This contrasts with the Zat basin that is characterized by very variable elevations and slopes, and slopes are mainly exposed to the North and North-West (30.42%), which therefore favors strong runoff and a very high flow velocity. The hydrological contrast observed in the two basins impacts the human use of surface water. These results effectively explain the hydrological behavior and provide managers with useful information for better management and decision-making regarding the two studied hydro systems.
References
[1]
Louise, R. (2007) Water, Source of Conflict [L’eau, source de conflits.]. Lex Electronica, 12, 5 p.
[2]
Mutin, G. (2009) The Arab World Facing the Water Challenge: Stakes and Conflicts [Le monde arabe face au défi de l’eau: Enjeux et conflits.]. HAL-Version 2.
[3]
Magesh, N.S. and Chandrasekar, N. (2012) GIS Model-Based Morphometric Evaluation of Tamiraparani Subbasin, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 7, 131-141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-012-0742-z
[4]
Houdret, A. (2008) Les conflits autour de l’eau au maroc: Origines sociopolitiques et écologiques et perspectives pour transformation des conflits. Thèse de doctorat en sciences politiques, Université Duisburg-Essen et l’Université Paris 8, Duisburg, Allemagne, 74 p.
[5]
Saidi, M., Agoussine, M. and Daoudi, L. (2006) Effet de la morphologie et de l’exposition sur les ressources en eau superficielle de part et d’autre du haut atlas (Maroc); exemple des bassins versants de l'ourika et du marghène. Bulletin de L’Institut Scientifique, 28, 41-49.
[6]
Aher, P.D., Adinarayana, J. and Gorantiwar, S.D. (2014) Quantification of Morphometric Characterization and Prioritization for Management Planning in Semi-Arid Topics of India: A Remote Sensing and GIS Approach. Journal of Hydrology, 511, 850-860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.02.028
[7]
Esper Angillieri, M.Y. (2008) Morphometric Analysis of Colangui River Basin and Flash Flood Hazard, San Juan, Argentina. Environmental Geology, 55, 107-111.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0969-2
[8]
Gebrehiwot, S.G., Iistedt, U., Gardenas, A.I. and Beshop, K. (2011) Hydrological Characterization of Watersheds in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 15, 11-20. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-11-2011
[9]
Ameri, A.A., Porghasemi, H.R. and Cerda, A. (2018) Erodibility Prioritization of Sub Watersheds Using Morphometric Parameters Analysis and Its Mapping: A Comparison among TOPSIS, VIKOR, SAW, and CF Multi-Criteria Decision Making Models. Science of the Total Environment, 613-614, 1385-1400.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.210
[10]
Silva, J.M.A., Pruski, F.F., Silva, D.D. and Cecilio, R.A. (2006) Metodologia para obtencao do hidrograma de escoamento superficial em encostas e canais. Parte I: Descenvolvimento e avaliacao. Engenharia Agricola, 26, 695-703.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-69162006000300005
[11]
Abdulkareem, J.H., Pradhan, B., Sulaiman, W.N.A. and Jamil. N.R. (2018) Quantification of Runoff as Influenced by Morphometric Characteristics in a Rural Complex Catchment. Earth Systems and Environment, 2, 145-162.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-018-0043-0
[12]
Mudashiru, R.B., Salami, A.W. and Bilewu, S.O. (2018) Evaluation of Methods of Peak Runoff Determination Using Catchment Characteristics for Jere Sub-Basin, Gurara River Basin, North Central Nigeria. Journal of Engineering Research, 15, 26-41. https://doi.org/10.24200/tjer.vol15iss1pp26-41
[13]
Subyani, A.M., Qari, M.H. and Matsah, M.I. (2010) Digital Elevation Model and Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Morphometric Parameters of Some Wadis, Western Saudi Arabia. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 5, 147-157.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-010-0149-7
[14]
Belhouari, S. (2019) Secteur de l’eau au maroc: Pourquoi faut-il miser sur une gouvernance juste et durable? Fondation Heinrich Boll Afrique du Nord, Rabat.
[15]
Khafaoui, A. and Saidi, M. (2014) Apport des outils de sig dans la cartographie d’un bassin versant montagnard: cas de L’oued R’Dat (Haut Atlas de Marrakech, Maroc). Colloque sur le Système National d’Information d’Eau, Rabat.
[16]
Argaz, A., Ouahman, B., Darkaoui, A., Bikhtar, H., Yabsa, K. and Laghzal, A. (2019) Application of Remote Sensing Techniques and Gis-Multicriteria Decision Analysis for Groundwater Potential Mapping in Souss Watershed, Morocco. Journal of Materials and Environmental Science, 10, 411-421.
[17]
Mostakim, L., Guennoun, F.Z., Fetnassi, N. and Ghamizi, M. (2021). Analysis of Floristic Diversity of the Forest Ecosystems of the Zat Valley-High Atlas of Morocco: Valorization and Conservation Perspectives. Journal of Advanced Biotechnology and Experimental Therapeutics, 5, 126-135. https://doi.org/10.5455/jabet.2022.d102
[18]
Mostakim, L., Fetnassi, N. and Ghamizi, M. (2020a) Floristic Study and Assessment of the Environmental Factors Governing the Distribution of Riparian Plants in the Zat Sub-Basin: Tensift Watershed, Morocco. Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 45, 7900-7915.
[19]
Mostakim, L., Fetnassi, N., Rassam, H., Benaissa, H., Berger, E. and Ghamizi, M (2020b) Assessment of Aquatic and Semi-Aquatic Plants in Arid Regions: Testing Factors Affecting Riparian Plant Distribution in the Draa Basin, Morocco. EurAsian Journal of BioSciences, 14, 4735-4741.
[20]
Ait Mlouk, M., Algouti, A. and Ourhzif, Z. (2015) Utilisation des images satellitaires du Landsat dans l’étude de la dégradation des berges des oueds: Exemple des berges des oueds Rdat, Zat et Tensift lors de la crue de Novembre 2014 (Marrakech, Maroc). Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 27, 119-129.
[21]
Agoussine, M. and Bouchaou, L. (2004) Major Problems of Water Management in Morocco [Les problèmes majeurs de la gestion de l’eau au Maroc.]. Sécheresse, 15, 187-194.
[22]
Musy, A. (2005) Cours d’hydrologie générale. Laboratoire d’hydrologie et Aménagements (HYDRAM), Institut des Sciences et Technologies de l'Environnement (ISTE), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale (EPFL).
[23]
Liamas, J.M. (1993) Hidrología General. Edición Espanola, Servicio Editorial Universidad del País Vasco, 635 p.
[24]
Musy, A. and Higy, C. (2004) Hydrology, a Science of Nature [Hydrologie, une science de la nature.]. PPUR Presses Polytechniques, Lausanne, 314 p.
[25]
Strahler, A.N. (1957) Quantitative Analysis of Watershed Geomorphology. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 38, 913-920.
https://doi.org/10.1029/TR038i006p00913
[26]
Musy, A. and Laglaine, V. (1992) Hydrologie générale. école Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 534 p.
[27]
Cappy, S., Klose, S., Hoffmann, H., Osterhold, V. and Bell, B. (2008) Hydrogeology of the Assif-n-Ait Ahmed Catchment. In: Schulz, O. and Judex, M., Eds., IMPETUS Atlas Morocco, Department of Geography, University of Bonn, Bonn, 49-50.
